Rebirth
by The Keeper of Worlds
Summary: The battle of the bridge ends with a life lost, a life changed, and a life saved. But not the ones that originally happened. Naruto is gone and Sakura must carry his burden and more. How will she deal with her new life and how will Konoha accept its new Jinchuuriki?-Rated M for language/gore/and possible relationships-Read at risk


I do not own "Naruto"-"Naruto" is the copyrighted property of Masashi Kishimoto-I do not publish this work for the intent of self profit, or any form of monetary gain.

**Rebirth**

_Chapter 1: Motherhood_

_He didn't think. He just reacted. He had arrived to see Sasuke get knocked out by the Hunter-nin helping Zabuza. He was nearly there. That was when everything went wrong. _

The Hunter-nin was standing above the unconscious Sasuke when Zabuza said, "Haku."

"Yes, Zabuza-sama?" replied the now identified Haku.

"Take care of the bridge builder and the girl," ordered Zabuza coldly as he faced Kakashi in his own battle.

"Understood," said Haku. With that done, Haku shot towards Sakura and Tazuna like a bullet. Sakura moved to defend Tazuna as best she could. However, she was panicking terribly in her mind, her trembling but firm hands proved that. She glared icily at the ice-user as he came ever closer.

Suddenly, Haku created a spear of ice to lunge through both Sakura and Tazuna in one motion. He despised having to kill the girl, but she was in the way. That was when Naruto showed up. Just before the spear could strike, Naruto leaped in its path, took the hit through his stomach, and grabbed the spear with Herculean strength, forcing it to stop within his body. Everyone froze in numb shock.

After what felt like an eternity, Sakura screamed in uncontrolled heartbreak, "NARUTO!"

Naruto looked down and saw the _very_ large piece of ice sticking through his gut, right through seal. _"Oh the irony," he thought with a dark chuckle._ He then turned his head to look over his shoulder as best he could. He coughed up blood and looked sadly at Sakura, but with a genuine smile. A smile that somehow spoke volumes to Sakura and was ripping at her heart.

"Sakura," began Naruto while coughing blood, "you're alright, right?" She could only nod in sheer shock at what was happening as she barely registered his question. "Good," he said with another true smile, "I would hate to see you, especially you, ever get hurt, Sakura-chan."

Sakura went, if possible, even more wide-eyed at that and asked, "Why, why go so far for me Naruto. After everything I've said or done, why?"

He looked at her with eyes filled with regret and, oddly, determination. He took a gurgling breath. "Because," he began with conviction, "I love you, Sakura-chan. Ever since the first day I saw you in the park. I've always loved and always will. Plus, guys protect the girls they love right, Dattebayo?"

Sakura couldn't believe her ears. He loved her! She was shocked at this beyond words. _"After everything, he loves me. That's more than anything Sasuke-k, no Sasuke would ever say or do for me. I can't believe how stupid I've been to not see this!" she thought in true regret__._

"Please," said Naruto with a tone of desperation in his voice, "stay safe for me, Sakura-chan." He then looked over to his sensei whose fight with Zabuza had halted after what had happened. "Kakashi-sensei," began Naruto with a cold look at his sensei, "protect her for me. Or so help me I will find a way to **destroy** every single one of those books you have and will take care of any more **ever **being made, even from beyond the grave."

(Somewhere near a random town's local hot springs)

A large white haired man had a cold chill go down his spine for two reasons. "I sense a disturbance in the Icha and something is _**very**_ **wrong** with Naruto," thought Jiraiya out loud, "I need to get back to village immediately." With that Jiraiya set off to Konoha to check on his godson's well-being.

(In another town's casino)

Tsunade had just won** three **different jackpots in one day. Something was really wrong. She only ever won like this when something awful had occurred. She felt in her gut it had to do with one of her best friends, Kushina Uzumaki's, son Naruto. "Pack our things Shizune," said Tsunade to the young dark haired woman holding her pig, Tonton, in there hotel room, "something is wrong and we are headed back to Konoha to find out what"

Shizune was in shock. Her master would _never _go back to Konoha, because of the memories, unless something really bad had happened. "At once my Lady," said Shizune as she put down Tonton and began to back.

(Back in the Land of Waves-on the bridge)

Kakashi saw the fire in his student's eyes and nodded an affirmative to his request and added, "I swear it on my life Naruto, she will be protected. And Naruto, I'm proud to have been your sensei." _"Forgive me Minato-sensei, Kushina-sama, Obito, Rin, I've failed again," thought Kakashi as a tears came from the legendary Copy-Ninja of Konoha._

Naruto smiled at Kakashi's words and turned to once more face Haku and gave him a look that radiated such **KI**(Killer Intent) that everyone felt it, but Haku looked ready to pass out at seeing Naruto's face.

_"If looks could kill," mused Haku in his head._" I know we are enemies," began a coughing Naruto, "but please stop this. Gato has a ton of thugs headed this way with him leading. He plans to betray you. I saw them on the way here. Gato is a scrawny guy, who wears suits, with a really weird haircut right?" At Haku and Zabuza nodding in confirmation to both the identity and the request Naruto let a breath that oozed relief.

"Kid," said Zabuza, forcing Naruto to look at him, "from what you said I owe you **big** for giving us the heads-up on that munchkin's betrayal. You have my word as a swordsman and a ninja that the girl has my protection for life as my debt to you."

This shocked everyone, none more so than Haku. He couldn't believe that this one boy's actions could affect his master so, but he knew one thing, his master held his honor above everything else. For him to swear such a debt was a serious matter.

Naruto just smiled and said, "Thank you." With that he fell back into Sakura's arms who was crying hysterically and thinking _"There has to be a way to help, there has to be!"_

(Inside a strange sewer-the Seal)

Suddenly Sakura found herself pulled into a strange sewer with a huge gate that had a tag with the kanji for "seal" on it. "Where am I?" said Sakura looking around her surroundings in shock.

**"Come here girl,"** commanded a large voice from behind the cage. Sakura looked on in fear, but moved towards the gate with steady legs.

"Whose there," she said with a strong voice, "show yourself!"

The strange voice laughed at her tenor, **"That is a fitting tone for a strong woman! Let us see if you can keep it!" **With that, Sakura heard large footsteps coming from behind the gate. When the source of the voice came within view, her eyes went wide in both shock and fear. A large red fox was standing before her with nine-tails swishing behind it. As it reached the gate, the fox laid its head on its paws, looked at Sakura and said, **"Do you know who _I _am girl?"** When Sakura shook her head in the negative the fox gave a snort and said in a commanding voice, **"I am the Kyuubi no Kitsune! The all-powerful Nine-Tailed Fox, little girl! Care to guess where, or should I say who, we are inside right now?"**

Sakura got pale looking at the fox, but got even paler as what it said fully dawned on her. It explained _everything_. The looks he got, the way people talked about him, the way her mother said he didn't deserve any of the things that had happened, and everything else she knew about him. "Naruto," she said quietly at first, "we are inside Naruto right now aren't we?" The fox got slightly wide-eyed at her having put it together so quickly. He was impressed.

**"Yes," **said the fox after a minute**, "we are currently inside Naruto, more specifically his mental interpretation of the seal I have been put in. I have pulled you into the seal for a simple fact. I need your help to save the gaki." **

Sakura couldn't believe this and said, "How in world can I help if you can't? Don't get me wrong. I want to help, but how in the name of the Log do I do it?" The Kyuubi sighed heavily, but then looked at Sakura,

**"Simple really, but first a question," **he continued upon her nod, **"How do feel about being a mother?" **

If Sakura was confused before, this beat everything. "Yes I would love to be a mother at some point, but what does that have to do with saving Naruto?" she asked in total confusion. The Kyuubi actually looked away sheepishly. Even he knew what he was about to say was risky, and even demons know a woman scorned or sorely angered is something even the Shimigami didn't want to fuck with.

**"You kind of have to give birth to him as your child and his, and become my new Jinchuuriki host," **the Kyuubi said in a rush that was followed by a cough on its part. Unfortunately or fortunately, Sakura was use to this type of rapid talking with Ino and Naruto respectively and understood _exactly_ why the Kyuubi asked if she was okay being a mother. She rapidly gained a blush that put Hinata to absolute shame and her mouth was opening and closing in rapid succession. The Kyuubi did a dreaded mental countdown-5...4...3...2...and 1!

_"WHAT!"_ shouted Sakura in shock, fear, embarrassment, and pure surprise. She really hadn't expected _that _kind of solution.

**"Ya,"**started Kyuubi, once again facing her, **"his wounds are too severe for me too heal, especially since its chakra ice run through him. The other kid's chakra is interfering. Had it hit anywhere else, but the seal, I probably could've handled it no problem. However, as we know that wasn't the case. As it is the only way for _both_ of us to survive is for him to be absorbed into you on the genetic level with an accelerated pregnancy and become the genetic equivalent of a child that would have been possible if you two actually had one. For it to convert safely, I need to channel my chakra through the mother, or in this case you. This requires you to absorb the seal that holds me in place and become a Jinchuuriki, or 'Human Sacrifice' in effect. As perks you get his ridiculous stamina, healing, and _shit ton_ of chakra, but your control will be shot for at least a month to get used to me and your new natural reserves. However, the child you give birth will not in essence be the 'Naruto' you know."**

"Wait," said Sakura interrupting the Fox, "what _exactly_ do you mean it won't be the Naruto that I know?"

The Kyuubi actually had a sad look in its eyes and continued, **"Well basically, the warping of the genetic structure to simply let you give birth to him like this is dangerous. To make sure you don't die, which I just know the gaki and the Shimigami would find a way to get me for, it requires his DNA to go in exactly like it would for a woman to get pregnant normally. In other words, you are saving him, but in all likely hood he will be reborn as a girl from the conversation, I guarantee his memories would be destroyed, and obviously the child would look more like a combination of you and him, instead of just him." **At seeing how she was taking this information the Kyuubi decided to try to actually comfort her. He felt bad for the brat and this girl wanted to help him but felt like she was just getting something and leaving him. He wasn't a millenium old demon with experience at emotions for nothing! So he said, **"There is something more you should know though,"** she looked at the fox with worry filled eyes, **"In truth, it may not be the way he wanted it, but you would be fulfilling two of his three biggest dreams if you do this."**

Sakura was confused and said, "How would I be doing that? Was one of them being saved by me or something? I know of his dream to be Hokage. That _definitely_ was one of the big three, but it can't be one this does. Heck, Hokage was probably his biggest dream, so what can this do?" She finished that with a tear rolling down her face again.

The Kyuubi looked right at her and lowered his head to look her dead in the eye. **"Your wrong,"** said the Fox which startled Sakura and titled her head and said, "About what?"

**"Being Hokage may have been the dream he always voiced, but it wasn't his biggest. No that was the third of the three," **Kyuubi stated.

Sakura was shocked again. "Then what was his biggest?" she asked.

The Kyuubi sighed and continued, **"You realise he was an orphan, correct?"** seeing her nod he went on, **"Can you guess what an orphan, hell any orphan, but especially one with a life like Naruto's would want more than anything in the entire world? Here's a clue, he would achieve it by marrying, he hoped, you which was the other dream."**

The moment the Kyuubi said marriage it all fit into place. While she was shocked and glad that marrying her was one of his dreams, she immediately figured out his final dream. "To have a family," she began looking at the demon, "his biggest dream was to have a family."

The Kyuubi nodded his massive head and said, **"Exactly. He wanted a family of his own more than anything else in the world. By you giving birth to, basically, his child you are indirectly completing his dream of being with you and fulling his biggest dream of a family. That is why you shouldn't feel guilty about this. The kit would be grateful if he could talk right now."** Sakura looked right at the large fox and thought over her answer carefully.

_"Naruto-kun gave his life to save me, the least I could do is bare his burden and give life to his child," Sakura thought with steely resolve. "I promise to myself that I will protect and love **our **child with everything I have, Believe It!" At that she giggled to herself knowing his nindo would be hers and she would honor it for life._

"Alright fox I have my answer," began Sakura while staring at the Kyuubi with a gleam in her eyes, "My answer is yes, I will do as needed to save Naruto and love him, or her, as a mother should and more. And thank you for letting me help." she said the last part with true gratification towards the fox.

Kyuubi was obviously shocked that a human could, or even would, show gratification towards it. He hadn't had anyone do that since the time of the Sage of Six Paths. **"No,"** began the fox with a smile, **"thank you, Sakura. You have my gratitude for this. I will do my best to protect you and your 'kit' as best I can from within the seal. My power is yours to use." **Sakura had not been expecting the Kyuubi to offer its thanks to her, let alone offer to help protect her and her child.

She smiled at the great fox and said, "Thank you."

"Indeed," began a third voice from out of the darkness. Both Sakura and the Kyuubi turned to see who was coming and both got a huge shock. Coming towards them was the _Yondaime Hokage and a beautiful red-haired woman!_

"Yondaime/**Yondaime!"** said Sakura and the Kyuubi at the same time. Both the deceased Hokage and the woman laughed at their reactions and continued to walk towards the gate. "Well hello there Sakura, Kyuubi,"said the Yondaime, "but I believe you should call me Minato, I don't need formalities here, and this is my wife Kushina Uzumaki. Both of us are Naruto's parents, so I guess that makes us in-laws, right?"

When Minato said the last part he loved the look on Sakura's face as she processed this new information and promptly screamed, "_Ehhhhhh!"_

"Minato," scolded Kushina with a stern look at her husband, "quit trying to upset our daughter-in-law or I will make Tsunade's punches look soft!" Minato gulped at that and nodded his head very fast. _"Kami! Women are really scary!" thought Minato after being promptly whipped._

**"It has been a while, Kushina," **said Kyuubi.

"It sure has fuzzball," said Kushina with a grin very similar to Naruto's. The Kyuubi snorted at joke, but looked on with a smile at the situation.

"Okay," said Sakura with her hands held out in front of her, "you mean to tell that the Yondaime Hokage and his wife, who apparently knows the Kyuubi personally, are Naruto's _parents!"_

"Yes/**Yes/**Yep," said Minato, Kyuubi, and Kushina in order. Sakura sweatdropped at that.

"And to answer the question of how I know Kyuubi," began Kushina, getting a serious look on her face, "it comes with having been his previous Jinchuuriki." Now _that _pulled Sakura up short and she responded accordingly, "Woah."

"You got that right," said Kushina, "the only reason he had to be sealed into Naruto is because some bastard with a mask ripped him out of me right after I gave birth to Naruto. If he hadn't done that, we would've gotten to know each other on much _better_ terms than figuring out how to save my son from certain death while inside of a seal." she finished with a sad and longing look on her face.

"I understand, but," began Sakura, "that doesn't explain why you two are even _inside _the seal in the first place. How did this happen?"

"With both of use on death's door, I used the last of our chakra to infuse part of Kushina's soul and my conciousness inside of the seal as safety mechanisms inside the seal incase it should ever fail, and I would appear, or when Naruto would want to gain control of Kyuubi's power. Then Kushina would appear. We did to protect him as best we could and to get a chance to each meet our son once more in the future," explained Minato with a pained expression.

Sakura looked at the two of them and did something they weren't expecting, she pulled both of them into a tight hug and said, "That's what Naruto would do if he could see you and you looked like you could both use it," she finished with a smile. Both Minato and Kushina had tears in their eyes and returned the hug while muttering _'thank you'_ over and over.

"We both thank you from the bottom of our hearts Sakura," said Minato, "and now I think its time for me to implement the brilliant idea I just had to help you back out in the real world." Minato had an odd gleam in his eye as he finished.

"Really? What is it Minato-san?" said Sakura.

"Ya," said Kushina, "what you got Minato-kun?"

Minato smiled and simply said, "Oh nothing much, just revive you, Kushina, into the world of the living to help look after Sakura and help with the seal when she gives birth, no big deal really." Kushina, Sakura, and even the Kyuubi got ridiculously wide-eyed at that and their jaws dropped to the floor.

"How/What/**DAMN!"** said Kushina, Sakura and Kyuubi in order. Kushina thought it was a dream. Sakura was giddy at having Kushina with her in the real world. Kyuubi, well, he was literally thinking _"SON OF BITCH! I hate to admit it, but, he's a fucking GENIUS! That could actually work if he is thinking what I think he is!"_

**"You plan on using your chakra energy and mine to boost Kushina's and then use Naruto's physical body to recreate Kushina's and put her soul into it and bring her to life with the HUGE ass amount of energy generated by the transfer of me and Naruto's genetics into Sakura, don't you,"** said Kyuubi while looking at the Minato with huge eyes, the idea was just that brilliant!

Minato had a completely innocent smile on his face and said, "Yep, pretty good, huh?"

Kushina and Sakura were floored. The idea was unreal, but in could work! Kushina rushed Minato and brought him into a bone-crushing hug and said, "Minato you are AWESOME-Dattebane!" With that she gave him one _really _passionate kiss.

**"As much fun as it would be to have a good show again, there is a minor and your daughter-in-law right here," **started Kyuubi with a lecherous grin while Sakura blushed and Minato and Kushina pulled off of each other while rubbing the back of their heads, **"and I believe its time to get the show on the road, but be warned, Sakura, Kushina, this is _really_ gonna hurt so get ready."**

The two women in question nodded and Sakura asked one final question, "Hey Kyuubi," when he turned to look at her she continued, "do you have an actual name, cause it seems like Kyuubi is a title or something. Plus I figured it would be nice to know since we are gonna be stuck together for life, you know?"

When Sakura asked that Minato and Kushina were surprised by her question, but shocked at Kyuubi's reaction. He not only smiled he actually had a _tear_ rolling down his face! **"No one has asked me that question in a _long _time," **started the great fox, **"but yes, I do have a name, it is Kurama, and thank you for asking. You have no idea what that means to me, Sakura. I can tell, we are gonna have an interesting time, huh partner?"** finished Kurama with a smirk at Minato and Kushina's dropped jaws.

"No problem Kurama," said Sakura.

Getting out of his stupor, Minato said, "Alright, time to get this done, and good luck you two." With that he and Kyuubi flashed through a huge number of handsigns at an unbelievable rate and Sakura's vision went white.

(Back out of the Seal on the bridge)

No real time had passed in the real world since Sakura had gone into the seal. Just as Kakashi was about to move toward Sakura and help, a huge orb of red chakra surrounded both her and Naruto's body completely. It swirled around them and flashed red, green, and blue in rapid succession. Kakashi distinctly recognized that red was demonic chakra, green was medical chakra, and blue was normal chakra. What he couldn't figure out was why green and blue were appearing. _"What is going on in there?" he thought in worry for his other student, he'd be damned if he let his promise to Naruto go or another student of his died, now or ever._ The pulsating chakra also woke Sasuke up. As he slowly got to his feet he saw the fight was over, but Naruto and Sakura were nowhere to be seen, and some freaky chakra orb was going nuts in the middle of everyone else. He slowly started walking towards them with caution.

Suddenly, the orb stopped its pulsating and began to crack. Then it completely shattered and evaporated into the air, however, some dregs poured into Sakura who was being held by a beautiful red-haired woman in civilian clothes. When Kakashi saw who the red-head was, his knees buckled and he said in sheer shock, "Lady Kushina, is that really you?"

Kushina turned to face Kakashi and smiled, "It's good to see you again too, Kakashi-kun." Now everybody else was really confused as to who this 'Kushina' was and why Kakashi looked like he was seeing a ghost.

"Okay," said Zabuza still freaking out a little, "can someone tell who in the hell this lady is, why Kakashi looks like hell at seeing her, and where the HELL did the boy's body go?" He snarled at the last bit. He was angry that he couldn't give the boy a burial and wanted to know who was holding the girl he swore to the brat he would protect.

"Same," said Sasuke as he finally made it to the group and sat down in exhaustion, "where is Naruto?" He was confused and from what Zabuza just said, Naurto was in the orb when it formed, but wasn't here anymore. He was _very_ confused.

"Well I can answer two of your questions," offered Kakashi, everyone else nodded while Kushina smiled waiting for the inevitable, "That," he says pointing to Kushina, "is Kushina Uzumaki, Naruto's mother and the reason I am shocked is because she was _dead and buried_ thirteen years ago when the Kyuubi attacked the village shortly after Naruto was born." At this, Zabuza, Haku, Sasuke, and Tazuna all looked at Kushina, back to Kakashi, and then Kushina again. Kushina did the coutdown.

"_HOLY FUCK!"_ shouted everyone but Sakura, Kushina, and Kakashi. _"Well they took that well," thought Kushina with a sweatdrop. "Man, explaining the rest is gonna break somebody. Wait is that boy Mikoto's younger son?" she thought while getting a look at Sasuke._

"Hey," said Kushina and pointing to Sasuke, "was your mother Mikoto Uchiha by any chance?" That got Sasuke's attention in full.

"Yes," he said cautiously, "how do you know my mother?" Kushina got a huge smile on her face and squealed. "Oh! The last time I saw you were just a cute little baby with the most adorable cheeks! But as to how I know your mother, she was my best friend! She actually made me your godmother, Dattebane!" Everyone was snickering at Sasuke at the cute comment and he was blushing furiously. However after that he had three thoughts going through his head, "_She must be that woman mother was talking about that had died. I remember her saying she was godmother. And any doubts about her maternal status just completely died with 'that' word" he finished with a sweatdrop._

"Okay," said Zabuza again, still trying to keep his sanity at this point, "that answered two of my questions, now can you answer what happened to your 'son's' body, Miss Uzumaki?"

"Well," started Kushina while holding the still knocked out Sakura tightly to her, "that is where things get _complicated,_ to say the least."

"Go on," said Zabuza, his curiosity peaked.

"Alright," said Kushina with a sigh, " I guess the best way to put it, and yes Kakashi it has to do with the fox so I have to tell them," she said at seeing the look on Kakashi's face. He nodded his head in reluctant acceptance.

"Well," she continued, "I was revived because when me and Minato sealed the Kyuubi into Naruto he put a bit of my soul into the seal as well. When Naruto was pierced through the seal it triggered a strange series of reactions. I am the result of but one of them. It allowed the bit of Minato's conciousness in there to use his energy along with Kyuubi's when doing the others, to use Naruto's empty body as a catalyst to revive me and consequently move the Kyuubi that was sealed in him."

When Kushina finished everyone's jaws had hit the floor. Everyone of them knew that the Yondaime had beaten the Kyuubi, so if this woman was with him and being Naruto's mother they started taking a second look at their image of Naruto and came to one conclusion. _"OH FUCK! He was the Yondaime's son!" they all thought simultaneously, except Kakashi who already knew of Naruto's heritage. _

"Damn," said Haku. Everyone looked at him like a fish out of water and Zabuza was wide-eyed, _"Since when did Haku swear?" he thought in shock._ "What," said Haku seeing the looks, "I figured the situation called for it."

Sasuke nodded in agreement and said, "No shit, well things can't get much weirder, right? I mean I don't care if the dobe was a host for that thing, he wasn't a demon." Kakashi eye-smiled at his students words and Kushina smiled as well, but then Sakura woke up after hearing that and chuckled darkly. At that, everyone turned to look at her.

"I hope you can keep that perspective Sasuke," said Sakura, "oh, and things _are _about to get _much_ weirder."

Sasuke looked at her and said, "Okay, what now?"

"Does it have something to do with how Kushina-sama said the Kyuubi was sealed in him, but didn't say it was unsealed?" said Kakashi as he caught on and had a sad look on his face at having guessed what had happened to Sakura.

"Well that's part of it Kakashi-sensei," said Sakura feeling skittish. Now Kakashi was getting nervous. _"If that's only **part** of it, things are about to get really weird indeed." thought Kakashi solemnly._

"Kushina-san," began Sakura, "if you let me up it might be easier to show along with saying to help explain." Kushina gave her a worried look, but then nodded her head at Sakura in understanding. As Sakura was getting up everyone noticed, for the first time, that she had whisker marks on her face like Naruto use to and her stomach was slightly distended as well, but was jutting out straight and not dragging. At having seen a fair share of pregnant women before, both Kakashi and Tazuna got deathly pale as they had guesses at what that meant.

_"Oh, boy," thought Tazuna, "I have officially stepped directly into a minefield on this one."_

Taking a deep breath to steady herself Sakura said, "Well I guess the first thing to say is that _I _am the new Jinchuuriki, or host, for the Kyuubi with Naruto gone now." Everyone gave her a sad, but understanding look and nodded for her to continue-Sasuke was cursing himself for jinxing this on Sakura. "Also," continued Sakura, regaining their attention, "the reason why I became the Jinchuuriki is because in order to save Naruto in some form," she took a breath and steadied herself for their reaction, "I had to become pregnant with what I would consider Naruto's child through his genetics getting pulled into me when I became the Jinchuuriki. As you can see the pregnancy is accelerated, but I don't know by how much or if it will increase." As she finished everyone, save Kushina, was looking at her with eyes as wide as dinner plates.

"Sakura," said Sasuke getting her attention, "did you just say that you are basically pregnant with Naruto's child?" he finished with a serious face. She nodded yes and was starting to get really worried. Then Sasuke nodded his head in acceptance and said, _**"Oh," ** _and then promptly passed out with a pale face onto the bridge. Everyone facepalmed at this.

"Yo," everyone turned to Kakashi, "I am _not _going to be the one explaining this to your mother Sakura, Hokage yes, but there is no way in hell am I explaining an accelerated pregnancy and new Jinchuuriki status to a mother. I would like to live and preferably with my jewels in tact, if you catch my drift." All the other males agreed with his sage, for a guy, words.

Kushina just gave him a dry look and said, "I was planning on telling her anyway Kakashi-kun, but you will be the one helping me buy baby clothes and supplies with Sakura, or I will call in a favor from both Tsunade and Jiraiya, understood?"

Kakashi paled drastically at realizing the sheer damage a combined favor from them could do. In other words, he either accepted or his two worst fears would come true-1. He would be slowly and precisely castrated and 2. He would be banned from getting any more Icha-Icha books. He nodded his head in understanding and swore to never, _ever_, piss off Kushina-sama enough to call those in.

"Well, well. Isn't this a touching little sight," said Gato smugly as he walked out onto the bridge. Behind him was a group of a couple hundred random hired thugs. Everyone of the shinobi group and Tazuna were giving Gato the worst looks imaginable. As Sasuke was getting up, he said, "If that's Gato then he is seriously an ugly little shrimp huh?" Kakashi and Zabuza covered up their laughter, barely, while Kushina outright laughed. Gato suddenly gained a very noticeable tickmark above his left eye.

"Actually," said Haku while putting his hand under his chin, "if you think about he's not just ugly, he's _fucking ugly_." Zabuza once again stared at Haku in shock for his swearing.

Sasuke and Haku shared a knowing look and said in unison, "Fucking ugly, equals _fugly._" When they finished they shook hands and smirked at their new dubbing of said fugly shrimp.

"ENOUGH!" shouted Gato in thorough rage at the insults he faced. "Men," he said talking to his hired thugs, "kill them all, but save the women for later." With that Gato gained a darkly lecherous grin and so did his men as they roared there approval.

Saying that is where Gato had successfully _fucked up royally_. The sheer killer intent coming off of the other group was terrifying. Kurama narrowed his eyes from within the new seal on Sakura and thought, _"He did NOT just say that to a group of shinobi and a PREGNANT woman. Damn. He is gonna get his ass ripped apart, if he's lucky_."

At the same time, Kushina and Sakura were pissed off on principle. Tazuna because of his daughter, so perspective. Haku on morals. Kakashi and Sasuke because they were threatening their teammate/student and mother of another. Zabuza was pissed on his code of honor.

"You did _not_ just threaten the girl I swore to to protect, did you?" said Zabuza while releasing enough killer intent to manifest an image of a demon's head behind him directly at Gato. Needless to say, Gato had long since, literally, shit his pants in fear of Zabuza. Suddenly, Zabuza got a very disturbing grin on underneath the bandages and said, "Let's play a game. Whoever kills the most assholes over there wins. Gato is a bonus twenty. If you get creative, you get five points for style, agreed?" With that all the other ninja, except Sakura and Kushina, nodded with happy smiles on their faces, or mask for Kakashi.

In an instant, Haku shot forward and decimated five different bandits around Gato by freezing their legs, shattering them, and putting senbon through their eyes as they fell. "I believe that makes thirty points," began Haku while looking at the rest of the thugs, "well, GAME ON BITCHES!" With that Haku went at the other thugs with unholy accuracy. "I leave Gato as game for you guys," shouted Haku to the stunned group he left behind.

"By the LOG," began Zabuza with tears streaming down his face, "that's _my boy_, Haku!" When finished he went off to join his son/apprentice in the slaughter while manically laughing his ass off the whole time.

"Fuck me," said Sasuke to summarize his feelings on seeing _that_ Haku. Everyone else just nodded in a stupor. The boy had pulled a one-eighty on his fighting personality when women were threatened in his presence. Who says chivalry is dead?

With that Sasuke and Kakashi finally got into the fight as well and soon Gato's men lay on the bridge in pieces of varying size. Gato was laying on his butt in the middle of it all while begging for mercy like a total coward. When he did, the four shinobi around him said, "Fuck no." With that they all looked at each other while trying to figure out the best-read most painful and cool-way to kill Gato.

"Fire, wind, and lightning combo on Zabuza's sword?" asked Sasuke with a raised eyebrow.

Zabuza turned to Sasuke and replied, "That is genius! I like the way you think kid."

With that glorious suggestion, Kakashi channeled his lightning chakra to the top of the blade, Haku put wind chakra in the middle, and Sasuke put some fire chakra at the base.

Zabuza then raised the Executioner's Blade-yes that is the sword's translated name-and said, "BANZAI!" and slammed it clean through Gato, creating a spectacular fusion explosion of elements that shot upward as it completly obliterated Gato's body to the point that an _outline_ of Gato's body was seared into the bridge.

The group then suddenly heard a large group of people approaching. It turned out to be the villagers armed with a random assortment of weapons and Inari, Tazuna's grandson, leading the charge with a crossbow. When they arrived they paled at seeing the catastrophic carnage that was in front of them and some of the less stronger willed promptly threw-up at the sight.

Inari, who actually held down his food, asked the obvious question, "Did we miss something? Oh, and where's Naruto-ni?" The shinobi and Tazuna all promptly groaned at knowing they had to explain the situation and face-palmed at the question.

(One week later at the end of the completed bridge)

It had been an emotional battle explaining Naruto's _position_, Sakura's _status_, and Kushina's identity to Inari to say the least. The poor little guy was devastated that Naruto was, in essence, gone. However, Sakura and Kushina worked together to soothe the distraught child and promised to visit after the baby was born and explained how Naruto would've wanted Inari to move on and have a good life. In had taken some doing, but they accomplished this goal and Inari was back to what he had been before Gato had screwed the Land of Waves over.

Team seven, Zabuza, Haku, and Kushina were all leaving the Land of Waves and were all waving good-bye when Tazuna realized they had one last thing to do for the bridge to be truly complete.

"You know," began Tazuna while rubbing his chin, "we still need to name the bridge and I was thinking the Great Tazuna Bridge would be perfect!" Everyone sweatdropped at the self-satisfying smile Tazuna had while Inari spoke up to _correct_ his grandfather.

"I have a better one," said Inari and gained nods to continue, "we should call the Naruto Memorial Bridge in honor of Naruto-ni giving his life to save this land!" When he was done everyone exclaimed their agreement and Tazuna smirked. _"The Naruto Memorial Bridge,huh?" thought Tazuna, "Not a bad name, not bad at all."_

(On the road to Konoha)

While on the way back to the village the group had to take some detours in order to be careful with Sakura's condition. As a result, the group was having to pass close to the Hidden Waterfall Village, or Taki. Suddenly, a huge explosion ripped across the area and the group rushed off to investigate. What they came upon could only be described as a warzone. Several Taki shinobi were down on the ground and only a girl with green hair, a bow staff, and lightly tanned skin were standing along with a young man with long black hair and a gourd of water. Their opponents were two men in black cloaks with red clouds. One had blonde hair and was riding on top of some strange white bird while his partner was a bulky looking individual with a scarf over his face and was apparently hunched low to the ground.

"It would appear we have some uninvited guests, aye, Deidara?" said the large man on the ground. Suddenly the two standing Taki shinobi turned around and saw the group of newcomers with pleading eyes to help.

"Sure does Sasori, hm." said the now identified Deidara, "Perhaps they can become the newest victims of my _art_, hm."

"Bah," said Sasori, "your distasteful explosions are no art, _true _art is lasting." Deidara sent Sasori a glare and was about to start a heated discussion on the ethics of his art when Kushina interrupted.

"Excuse me," began Kushina with a weirded out look and gaining the other fours attention, "but why are you attacking Taki?"

Sasori gave her a long look and said, "With the unlikely hood of you being a threat," causing our group to all grow large tickmarks in aggravation, "I guess you can know. That girl over here is the Jinchuuriki of the Nanabi, the Seven-Tailed Rhinoceros Beetle, and we of the Akatsuki are hunting down and collecting the Bijuu. That is our reason for attacking this village." Kushina and the rest of her group all got wide-eyed at that.

Sakura, in her shock, blurted, "Wait you're a Jinchuuriki as well!" This time the two Akatsuki members and the Taki shinobi got wide-eyed and the green-haired girl's jaw had soundly hit the ground.

"My name is Fu," began the green-haired kunochi, female ninja, "and did you just say that you're a Jinchuuriki as well!" The now identified Fu was in shock at meeting someone like her in such an unexpected way.

"Ya," said Sakura, "my name is Sakura Haruno," a quick glance to Kushina who understood and nodded with a smile,"Uzumaki and I am the Jinchuuriki for the Kyuubi, Kurama."

"Well it looks like we hit pay dirt, huh Sasori," began Deidara, "two Jinchuuriki for the price of one. It looks like we can each get our quota, hm."

"Patience, Deidara," stated Sasori, "we don't know their abilities, but if a Jinchuuriki is with them, it is safe to say the others are probably very, formidable. Caution is the best strategy for now."

Deidara scoffed at Sasori and said, "Are you kidding me Sasori, hm! They don't look like any threat. Especially that one-eyed guy, he looks like a total _noob_. I could beat him in a minute." When Kushina heard Deidara call Kakashi a noob, she had one clear thought on her mind, _"WE ARE SO FUCKED, DATTEBANE! Kakashi's one trigger bigger than somebody threatening his books, and this guy had to do it!"_

Kakashi eyed Deidara calmly and tilted his head to get a better look at him. "I'm sorry, but did you just call me a _noob_?" Deidara nodded with a smirk on his face.

Suddenly, the entire area was filled with such killer intent that Kurama was getting a bit nervous. The freakiest part was, it was all being generated by Kakashi who had gained a very disturbing gleam in his one visible eye and was moving to bring out his Sharingan.

"Run," said a very pale Kushina.

"What?" asked a nervous Deidara and Sasori. The crazy killer intent was starting to get to them.

"If you value your lives **run**, dattebane!" screamed a panicking Kushina, much to everyone's-except the smirking Kakashi-shock, "Whenever someone calls Kakashi that, he goes totally off the deep end! He is a secret hardcore gamer and hates to be called that worse than someone dissing his Icha books!" When her group heard that they all looked at Kakashi and thought one thing, _"Note to self: Never, **ever**, call him a noob!"_

The killer intent from Kakashi suddenly peaked and he charged a HUGE ass Chidori in his hand and screamed, "Prepared to get branded you punk-ass bitches! Then we'll see who the _noob_ really is!" With that, Kakashi Hatake, the legendary Copy-Ninja who is said to have copied over a thousand jutsu, went completly apeshit on two of the Akatsuki and whooped their asses so fast and hard he became light.

The end result was a terrified Sakura and Fu standing behind Kushina, Sasuke and the other Taki ninja gaping in awe and fear, Zabuza and Haku thinking that was gruesome, Kushina face-palming, Sasori with multiple cuts in his _body_, and Deidara with Kakashi's name _literally_ branded into his back by a Chidori.

"Deidara," said Sasori in a strangely calm voice, "I suggest we leave now and that until we are a mile out of here, you _shut the fuck up_ so this crazy bastard doesn't follow, agreed?" Deidara only nodded. His face was incredibly pale in sheer terror at what he had just experienced. He swore then to be more careful with what he said in future. Then the two Akatsuki members vanished so fast that you would think they teleported, if not for the smoky outlines showing they had run away at top speed.

With them gone, and his vengeance sated, Kakashi turned to the group with his hands in his pockets and said, "Oops." Nobody said anything, mainly because not only did the crazy bastard not get a scratch on him, but he acted like it was the most casual thing in the world!

After a minute Zabuza broke the silence. "And people say _I'm_ a demon," he said in awe at Kakashi's brutality. He simply shrugged it off like it was nothing new.

"Well," began the still freaked male Taki shinobi, "my name is Shibuki, the leader of Taki. You all have my thanks for protecting Fu. Where are you from so I know how to better repay you?"

"My name is Kushina Uzumaki and we are from Konoha. This is my daughter-in-law Sakura, her teammate Sasuke Uchiha, Kakashi Hatake, and Zabuza Momochi and his son/apprentice Haku who wish to join our village. As you heard from Sakura, she is the Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi and is visibly pregnant with my son's child. We were currently heading back to the village on a safer route for Sakura when we heard the explosions." said Kushina.

"Ah," said Shibuki, "if I may, where is your son? It seems odd he would not be with you given the circumstances."

"That is one of the reason's why Sakura is _now_ a Jinchuuriki. My son was the previous and when he died the Kyuubi worked with Sakura to save some form of him and resulted in her pregnancy and her being it's new Jinchuuriki," explained Kushina with a sad look that was shared by Sakura as she grabbed Kushina's hand and held it tightly.

"You have my sincerest condolences," said a saddened Shibuki, "however I would like to ask a favor of you seeing as you are allies from Konoha. Could you take Fu with you. She would be safer there and would be able to have someone to relate to." All of the Konoha shinobi's group was shocked at this, but Fu had a completly startled expression.

"But why Shibuki! Why are you doing this!" screamed a crying Fu, Shibuki got on his knees and gave her a tight hug and explained that it was not to be cruel, but was because he cared about her well-being. He reasoned that she could be both safe and happy in Konoha. Two things she most definitely weren't in Taki. While still upset, Fu nodded her head in understanding and returned the hug with force. Kushina looked on at the scene before her and smiled kindly, her decision made.

"We will take Fu to Konoha as you request, Shibuki, and I will do everything in my power to make sure she is happy there. You have my word, dattebane!" exclaimed a smiling Kushina.

"Thank you Lady Kushina," said Shibuki as he bowed in thanks and respect. Sakura stepped forward to Fu and offered her, her hand with a smile and Fu knew it was sincere, so she accepted with a smile of her own.

(Near the gates of Konoha a few days later)

Over the past couple of days, Sakura and Fu had grown very close together as fellow Jinchuuriki and kunochi. Kushina had accepted Fu as an adopted daughter already and treated her as such along with Sakura. While Sakura was glad to be friends and have Kushina as a second mother, Fu was _ecstatic._ She had never really had a friend, let alone a mother figure until she met Sakura and Kushina.

_"I don't know how I can ever repay their kindness," thought Fu, "but no matter what I will do anything I can to help them from now on! They are my **family**!"_ The group was now right in front of the village gates and had stopped to admire them and collectively contemplate how in the world they were going to _explain_ all that had happened to the Sandaime-Third-Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi. Not only did he view Naruto as a grandson, but its not normal-even by ninja standards-that someone dies, someone else turns into a pregnant Jinchuuriki, and another is completly brought back to life all in one day!

Sakura looked on at the gates with a sad smile and rubbed her swollen stomach, even though it looks like its just about two months along from what Kushina could tell, and said, "It looks like we're finally back home."


End file.
